The Passage of Time
by Literary Litany
Summary: The well has somehow sealed itself, and Kagome and Inuyasha are trapped in their respective times. When the well unseals there's only one problem. For Inuyasha two weeks have passed, but for Kagome it's been two years. (InuKag, some MirSan later on, and s
1. Chapter 1: A Changed Girl

**The Passage of Time**

_Chapter 1: A Changed Girl_

She ran her fingers through the silky black hair that she prided herself on. School here in America was just what she had needed. Time away from that accursed well had given her time to let old wounds heal, and reflect over her time _then_. Really the whole thing had helped her become a better person. The past year of reflection taught her that she needed to learn patience, and the pain and loss had strengthened her resolve and taught her the value of restraining her emotions.

_It didn't work…_

"Kagome?" Lily's voice came through the closed door, and Kagome sighed, bracing herself for another day.

"Coming!" She yelled, pulling on her jacket over the tank-top she already had on. She came out of the bathroom, grinning at her roommate before they both left for the party. "So, where to this time?" She caught the mischievous grin on her friend's face and gave her a cautious glance.

_Two years the well was sealed…_

"We're going to Japan! Surprise!" They both rounded the hall corner and were suddenly surrounded by the rest of the dorm screaming happy birthdays. A suitcase and plane tickets were somehow shoved into her hands during the chaos, and the entire band carried her out of the building. In the numb shock Kagome somehow registered that she was dragged into a van where her closest friends joined her, and they began to drive.

The ecstatic friends were only too happy to explain how they'd planned this birthday surprise, and how Lizzy's parents had offered to pay for the trip, since they were airline execs. Her mother apparently already knew, and was preparing the house for the gaggle of girls.

Kagome feigned interest, and offered her sincerest thanks to those who had helped her heal over the past year. They noticed her sadness though, and the giggling conversation soon turned to worried silence.

_And the girl mourned…_

"I thought you said that guy wasn't in Tokyo anymore?" Lily said, not really managing to keep her tone from being accusatory.

"He's not, it's just… A lot of memories is all." Kagome allowed herself then to think about how nice it would be to see her mom and Souta again, and forced herself to enjoy this. After all, her friends would be giving her new memories to help her in that next step to recovery.

_Over time the pain dimmed…_

Her friends offered their condolences once more on her 'missing' boyfriend, and conversation turned back to safer topics.

_But never left entirely…_

"Why don't you go get her Inuyasha?" Shippou whined for the umpteenth time. Inuyasha added another bump to the kitsune's collection, and let out a low growl. What was he supposed to say? That he'd already tried that, but the well had refused him? They'd only blame him for Kagome being gone… Possibly forever.

_It didn't work…_

No! He mustn't think like that. The wench would be back, she always came back…

_Two weeks the well was sealed…_

"It's sealed, isn't it?" Miroku's cold tone came from behind, and the hanyou whipped around to face him. After a piercing glare, he frowned and nodded.

Miroku gazed toward the forest, his frown deepening. "Then I think perhaps we should unseal it." He gave Inuyasha a hard look, as if daring him to object. "If you're willing?"

_And the brave hanyou grew to know fear…_

The blue light that exploded from the well, then forcefully retracted into it shook the ground, and even Inuyasha lost his footing. "What the hell was that?!" Inuyasha said, jumping up and looking down the now normal well.

_It didn't work…_

"I don't know but I think we should-" Miroku stopped as he saw Inuyasha hop down the well, and sighed. "Wait." He finished, shaking his head at his friend's impulsiveness seating himself to wait and see if it worked.

_Until today…_

Then it happened for the eleventh time in two years. Those rare demons who still inhabited the modern world had now thoroughly managed to disguise themselves so well that at first Kagome couldn't sense the aura. Her friends were still chattering excitedly as they walked(having run out of cab fare) to Kagome's house. She stopped, looking hard at the shadows of the first part of what remained of Inuyasha's forest. It was getting closer.

_Shit… Probably drawn by the jewel shards, like that last ones._ Kagome quickly searched and found a long enough stick, and used her miko powers to form it into a bow. Plucking one of her now long hairs completed the weapon, and as she drew back the string a pinkish light in the shape of an arrow formed. It was another trick she'd learned: using an arrow that couldn't harm humans. Her damage was severely reduced by using such primitive weapons and techniques, but most of this time's youkai weren't pure-blooded, and fell much easier.

Kagome's friends watched in awe, and those who knew about her 'special powers' explained what they could to those who didn't, and spared her the questions. It was them that the tawny youth who emerged from the forest approached. He had reddish hair, and the most unnervingly familiar blue eyes… Kagome fired a warning shot when he got to close to her friends, and succeeded only in scaring the girls who were seeing this for the first time.

"Step away from them, your quarrel is with me." Her voice held a great commanding boom, and drew the boy's attention to her.

"And who might you be?" He asked, flashing her a grin that revealed his fangs, and giving Kagome a view of wolfish canine ears coming from his head. He was obviously some out-laying tribe's lost pup drawn instinctively to the power of the jewel with no actual knowledge of what he was doing here. She relaxed her grip on the bow, he didn't pose too much of a threat if she could convince him to leave peacefully.

"I am Kagome, priestess of the Higurashi shrine." Though she wasn't actually an active priestess there, it sounded official enough to make anyone serious about harming her think twice. She could almost picture the wheel creaking in the boy's head as he tried to process the name.

"Spirit!" He shouted, backing away slightly, and a pallid anger changing his thoughtful expression. "The priestess Kagome died years ago!" She gave him a look of curiosity before deciding to use him mistaking her for someone else to her advantage.

"What is your name boy? And how do you know me?" Kagome boomed, aware that those more brave of her friends were beginning to lead the others farther away from the hanyou-boy.

"I am Kuroga of the wolf demon tribe, and my grandfather Kouga told me of the priestess who lived long ago and her purifying arrows." He said, glaring at her while slowly inching back to the safety of the forest. She notched another shining arrow, and he froze.

"Take me to your grandfather."

**A/N:** That's got to be the best starter I've done for a series fic yet! Well, unless you count the Chasra Chronicles, but that was SOC and I never did continue it… Anyway, above you will notice the cruel and rushed cliff-hanger. I actually meant to cut it off sooner, but this was just too perfect of an ending… Sorry if the next chapter is a tiny bit shorter, but that came down to patience. Yes, I have it already written, but I like to be a chapter ahead in case I hit writer's block(posting sometimes cures me). I beg you to review, because It's what keeps the story going. If I don't get any reviews in the first couple weeks I usually pull it back for reformatting and _possible_ reposting if I feel like giving it one more go. But you really don't' have to listen to me ramble on like this… so, until next time. This is Lili signing off.


	2. Chapter 2: Reunions

**The Passage of Time**

_Chapter 2: Reunions_

…O8O…

Truthfully she didn't know what she had expected. The aging wolf had refused to tell her much after she told him about her 'time travel' reason for being in the sengoku jidai. It was her path to follow and he'd have nothing to do with changing that.

Kagome resorted to begging of course, and the old man who was Kouga obviously still held something of a soft spot for his former love, and caved a little.

"If I told you anything I might end up changing my own future, and despite the lack of your presence." He gave a polite bow of his head to assure her no insult was intended. "I am a happy old wolf." He gave her his signature wolfish grin before flipping the hanyou boy trying to sneak up behind him.

"Try to out-wit your old grand'da, eh? I may not have those Shikon shards anymore, but I'm still pretty damn fast!" He proved this by tripping the boy with his own momentum after a failed attempt at tackling Kouga.

"If you have a grandson I can assume you're happily married… errr, mated." Kagome corrected quickly. She'd perhaps been too long around humans that she'd forgotten youkai manners? "Do I get to know who the lucky girl is?"

"Ha!" Kouga let out the almost barked laugh while holding Kuroga's head under one arm despite the boy's growled protests. "She's off hunting… Sometimes I wonder how she adapts to this strange metal world…" Kagome almost sensed the 'back in my day' speech coming on. She'd heard it often enough from her own grandfather, and the audible groan from the pinned Kuroga verified her theory.

The wolf-youkai gave a snort of amusement, but refrained from telling tales. He rose from where he was, and escorted Kagome to the lip ravine. "I can't tell you anymore. Please visit any time, Kagome." The dismissal was not rude, but his tone left no room for argument, and the girl left for what she felt wouldn't be the last time, but what he knew would be.

…O8O…

Souta simply stared at the figure in red for a few long minutes as they took each other in. Inuyasha wondered in awe at the changes in the place he thought he knew. Time had worn it slightly, and the boy before him was almost a young man now. How? Only two weeks had passed, so how was this all possible?

Souta swallowed his fear and confusion, and took an angry step forward. "Why'd you do it?" He demanded, scrapping the bottom of the barrel for every last ounce of courage he had to face the hanyou. Inuyasha merely looked confused

"Why'd you seal the well?"

The words cut into his dazed confusion like water on a sleeping man. "Me? But she sealed the well!" Something about the hatred in that once adoring tone made Inuyasha wary. Two weeks was not enough time for all of this to have changed… That meant… Oh, Kami.

It had always confused him somewhat that Kagome was nearly five hundred years in the future, but whenever his brain started to hurt thinking about it, he'd put it aside. Something he couldn't do with the girl herself. This new predicament made his head swim. Two weeks had passed for him, but how much longer had it been for her?

Recognition, and a sort of slow understanding inched its way across Souta's face. "Y-You mean it hasn't been two years for you?" He said shakily, that courage he had managed to muster a moment before fading fast.

"Two years?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and his eyes grew wide as he took in all the implications of that simple statement. Every possibility ran through his head until it didn't just swim in chaos, but drowned in it. Somehow an equally shocked Souta managed to get the hanyou inside to his mother, hoping she would know how to sort this out.

For some reason all Souta could think about was how he was going to explain this to Kagome. He was no longer innocent of his sister's pain, and he knew that she'd just recently recovered from the staggering loss of the hanyou. What was Kagome going to do?

…O8O…

Kagome returned home to utter and complete chaos. As soon as she stepped in the front door she almost wished she'd stayed in America. Her friends were practically screaming, though about what she had no idea, and then she saw him: The center of the chaos, and trying to escape from the girls asking question after question.

"Inu…Yasha?"

He caught her scent amongst the other's, taking in every nuance of change, and the meaning behind it. She said his name, a whisper not even he would have heard had he not been attentive for its presence. He tried desperately to assimilate it all, but his attempts were cut short by Kagome's downward plunge. He moved with blinding speed, and caught the girl before she hit the ground. She… fainted?

_It didn't work…_

…O8O…

They all felt the changes as surely as they saw them. The memory of the cheerful girl they knew had not dimmed at all in the short time she'd been gone. This Kagome was different, tangibly so. Her eyes held the look of someone who'd known madness, and staved it off, though not without cost. She'd grown, blossomed, no longer the girl, but almost a woman. There was an independent strength, and commanding air that had never been Kagome's, not before…

This new Kagome lasted all of a few hours. She broke down rather quickly after being reunited with her long lost friends, and recounting to them what had happened to her over the past two years. They listened with interest at her tales of the demons who attacked her, and politely asked no questions when she skimmed over her three attempts at dating. Before anyone was ready she was weeping and hugging everyone(earning a certain monk a good beating from both Kagome and Inuyasha). The cold removal melted away, and if perhaps that confidence and strength seemed to fail her as well, she was none the wiser.

For the next few days the group was inclined to readjust. Kaede was endlessly pleased with Kagome's growing skill, and managed to get the girl to confess she had had some training in the present, though she refused to reveal the identity of her sensei. Then of course, came the 'girl talk.' Kagome and Sango planned an outing to the hot-springs, which was interrupted by Inuyasha chasing after Miroku and everyone ending up in the water, which earned each male his punishment.

"So, what caused the problems with these other boys?" Sango asked carefully. She herself didn't think that anyone _could_ date that many men in the span of a few months(Kagome admitted that she had mourned her friends long over a year before even attempting to exit her social exile).

"The first one I got to the third date with…" She said with some chagrin. "Before the fact that I still wasn't over Inuyasha became apparent…" She said, lowering her voice as if she somehow thought he'd hear all the way from where she'd left him in that sit-dug hole.

Sango gave an 'I see' sort of puff before daring to go on. "And the next?"

Kagome let out a gusty sigh. "He really _was_ a nice guy…" She admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "But… we never fought; everything was always flowers and candy." She smiled sheepishly. "It may sound weird that way, but what I mean is… there was no passion." The most affection he showed outside of a bouquet was a kiss on the cheek…

She saved Sango the breath of asking about the last and skipped right into it. "The last actually came close to working out. I thought perhaps he was someone I could like…" He was so much like Inuyasha… "To be honest, I think I had a problem with his lack of," Kagome blushed. "dog ears…"

"Do you think would have ever gotten over him? Given time, I mean." Sango said, rushing out the question as thoughts of her own 'him' were suddenly diverting her mind.

"The way the well just sealed? With no explanation? Leaving me to wonder if maybe it would open again some day? No, I don't think I would have… I mean, maybe if someone came along, and it was meant to be, but short of a miracle I was doomed to spinsterhood" Kagome smiled at the last comment, getting Sango to smile back.

"You do know Inuyasha's been listening the whole time don't you?" She said grinning from ear to ear now. Kagome visibly paled. She must have been so preoccupied with the conversation she'd missed his aura!

Whirling around, she met the guilty-looking hanyou. He braced himself for a sit, or perhaps some harsh words, but all he got was a very blank stare. He inched his eyes from the ground to meet hers. There wasn't an exact description to what those eyes revealed. Confusion, lots of that, a slow emergence of realization, and something else he wouldn't let himself dwell on.

The awkward silence drew onward, and it became slowly evident to Inuyasha that Kagome was waiting for _him _to say something, and he'd have to take the initiative. But what was he going to say? _'How about kissing her?' _came that despicable little voice in the back of his mind. This brought his attention to the way she was chewing her lower lip, her nose occasionally adding a twitch into the dance of movement. It distracted his mind enough that the silence wasn't quite so uncomfortable, but Kagome noticed.

She blushed, turning her head the way she used to when embarrassed and trying to look mad. All her carefully practiced lessons in maturity failed her in his presence, and that only added to her frustrations. "So?" She said, letting him insinuate the question behind the simple word.

"You just kinda walked off, and I was gonna apologize…" He muttered under his breath. The words continued but she'd only caught that much. So, he thought she was demanding an explanation for his actions. It faintly reminded her of what her mother always did when she or Souta misbehaved, and the thought brought a bubbly giggle to her throat.

She was… laughing? Kami, how was he supposed to figure this girl out? First she was shocked, then mad, then… laughing! He was in front of her in the blink of an eye, glaring with red-hot furry as a snarl reached his lips. "What's so funny?" He asked dangerously. She stopped laughing immediately, but the smile didn't fade.

"I didn't ask you for an explanation." She said, unable to wipe the somewhat giddy grin from her expression. She made a noise of stifled laughter as he was caught off-balance by her statement and stumbled with an answer.


End file.
